raku

I'm so excited to have an exceptional udon joint in our neighborhood! Everything from the wine to the appetizers to the starring noodles was just as we hoped.It was a tossup between sake, beer, and wine, but we ended up with a Chardonnay. A fantastic value at $35 a bottle, I was happy to find an elusive oaky, Californian Chardonnay to enjoy with our lunch.We commenced with ankimo. The monkfish liver had such an amazing texture and depth paired with a tart, but not too tangy sauce enhanced by fresh scallions.Our udon selections included a lighter (Ebiten Udon - shrimp & eggplant tempura) and heavier (Niku Udon - beef short-ribs & honeycomb tripe) soup. Freshly-fried tempura was served on the side of the Ebiten bowl, giving you the choice of a crunchy or drenched shrimp. The beef gave the Niku broth a bit of sweetness, and Derek loved that the chef added the meat in rough chunks.The quality of food, service, and atmosphere, combined with its proximity to us, means this is going to be a new favorite.